Thijs Menco Wins WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam for €73,239 ($80,563)

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08 May 2017 Read: 1009 times

Thijs Menco saw off a field of 243 to win the first €1,500 WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam and walk away with €73,239 ($80,563) in winnings, the trophy and a €2,000 WPTDS Europe package to the season ending event.

Menco came into the day as the shortest stack but put on a dominant performance full of well-timed aggression to eliminate three players at the final table and eventually walk away the overall winner.

There was a lively start to the final table, with Dennis Bijen and Richard Milne keeping up the table banter. Another player vying with Menco for the accolade of most aggressive player was Tobias Peters, who three-bet relentlessly to dominate proceedings.

The first player eliminated was Dutch TV presenter Robert Stegeman who ran his sevens into the Ace-King of Richard Milne for 9th place (€7,330). It wasn’t enough for Milne to regain the chip-lead, with Peters still holding strong.

Stegeman was followed out the door by Ami Barer (8th – €9,170) and Fredrick Andersson (7th – €10,750), before a decisive moment at the final table.

Pim van Wassenberg secured a vital double with Ace-Queen through the Ace-Jack of overnight chip-leader Milne (pictured above), and the Scot would be next to go in 6th (€12,615). Kees Aerts was next in 5th (€15,225) and then it was the turn of long-time chip-leader Peters whose Ten-Jack of spades was dominated by the pocket Jacks of Menco, and he left in 4th (€19,710).

That left three, and although Dennis Bijen doubled through Menco initially, it was Menco who had the last laugh, limping with Kings and snapping off Bijen who shoved with Jack-Five. Bijen took home €32,405 for his third place finish.

Coming into heads-up play, Menco had a chip advantage of 2:1, but it was Van Wassenberg showing the aggression as he quickly turned the tables on his opponent. Such was the flip it was Menco who secured a vital double-up, rivering a flush against the two-pair of his opponent.

In the final hand, a perfect storm lead to the tournament’s denouement. The river gave Menco a flush and Van Wassenberg (pictured above) two-pair. The chips went in, and the 40-year-old father of three Menco emerged victorious.

Van Wassenberg takes home €51,485 for second place with Menco winning €73,239 as well as a €2,000 WPTDS Europe package for the season ending event.

Position | Name | Country | Prize Money (€) | Prize Money ($)

1 | Thijs Menco | Netherlands | €73,239 | $80,563

2 | Pim van Wassenberg | Netherlands | €51,485 | $56,634

3 | Dennis Bijen | Netherlands | €32,405 | $35,646

4 | Tobias Peters | Netherlands | €19,710 | $21,681

5 | Kees Aerts | Netherlands | €15,225 | $16,748

6 | Richard Milne | Scotland | €12,615 | $13,877

7 | Fredrick Andersson | Sweden | €10,750 | $11,825

8 | Ami Barer | Canada | €9,170 | $10,087

9 | Robert Stegeman | Netherlands | €7,330 | $8,063

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